Orthodoxy came to North America in 1794, through the missionary initiative of the Orthodox Church in Russia. In the years that followed, émigré from other Orthodox countries settled and established parishes throughout the North American continent. These churches were initially under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church.

After the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, however, the Russian Church was in no position to administer the churches in America. The flood of Orthodox newcomers to America between the world wars came with organic ties to the mother churches of their homelands, resulting in the multiplicity of ethnic synods we have today (Greek, Serbian, Russian, etc).

In 1970, the Patriarchate of Moscow granted its diocese in America self-government ("autocephaly") under a presiding bishop, or metropolitan. In this way the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) was formed. The OCA is in the communion of Orthodox Churches worldwide. Holy Trinity is a parish of the Diocese of Chicago of the OCA and is dedicated to cultivating churched life in this place and culture.